


A year isn't long to wait

by Jcat



Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: Army AU, M/M, Read at Your Own Risk, this will likely be terrible
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-12
Updated: 2019-09-12
Packaged: 2020-10-17 01:56:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20613044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jcat/pseuds/Jcat
Summary: Callum rejoins the army and this is the story I made at 2am instead of sleeping.





	A year isn't long to wait

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on Tumblr https://bethanytheyoung.tumblr.com/

Shock, horror and anger.  
Three emotions that could best describe Ben Mitchell when his boyfriend of a year and a half announced he'd rejoined the army full time and was likely to be shipped out to a war zone to serve for a year shortly after the festive season.  
Callum wanted to serve whilst out and proud but after his short announcement did things get rough with Ben blowing up at him and leaving the flat they shared with Stuart who in turn just said "I told you that would happen" with Callum slowly rolling his eyes  
The next few days had been a blur of Cal attempting to calm Ben down enough to talk especially as his leaving date drew close. After a short punch up after Callum cornered him at a Maximum Motors where Ben's right hook collided with Callum's left cheek did the two hash it out as the time was fading away quicker than the two wanted to admit.  
The next day had been just Ben, Callum and Lexi bonding before an evening of friends rejoicing and wishing Callum well before an evening of alone time. Ben had kept himself for quite a while from begging Callum not to go until it was almost sunrise and he couldn't hold it in any longer and he'd begged multiple times for him to stay with him. Not just him but Lexi too.  
Maybe he'd even thrown in Stuart too as a reason it Callum's answer remained the same, the need to go back and be out and proud.  
The next morning had been the hardest for the duo, it was stunned silence all through breakfast and the last goodbyes with the few nearest and dearest before it was Ben and Callum going to the meet up point.  
Once exiting the car, Ben really ramped up the attempts to stop him, hiding his bag, passport and even at one point again threatening not to wait for him all fell onto deaf ears... well minus the last one which had set Callum off into tears making Ben feel like an arsehole, did Ben give up that fight and they just waited for the time to separate come.  
Once that moment came, Ben had gone in for a rougher hug, making soft promises to wait for every phone call and letter to come and to remain out of trouble as Callum did the same. They parted on the words of I love you before they had to go back to their lonelier adventures.

The year had gone so slowly for Ben who'd spent the first two weeks moping around and trying not to snap at people as he got used to an empty bed not potentially seeing his boyfriend on a trip to the cafe or seeing Jay at the funeral directors. He'd only stopped snapping at everyone when he got his first Skype call with Callum who was in one piece and thankfully in good spirits.  
It didn't mean Ben missed him less but least he was in one piece.  
After the calls came the letters and always in Ben's envelope would be a letter to Lexi, meaning in return Ben had to return his letter with a reply, a piece of art work or even just some random photographs which had in turn made Callum disappointed to see the Lexi grow further but also to miss out on family trips.  
It was nearing September when Ben had grown further frustrated with the distance as Callum had to Callum had to stop calling more often and letters had seemed to stop. Ben had gone out of his mind I worry that something good was majorly wrong, that intead of his lanky boyfriend he'd likely get in return a coffin with another boyfriend 6 feet under but still, Ben remained hopeful that wouldn't be the case and whilst there was an attack his boyfriend was fine.  
"Ben, you gotta stop worrying. I'm going to be fine and we'll be reunited soon. We don't have long left before I get to see you and hold you again."  
"How does that stop me worrying eh?"  
"It doesn't but believe me it's not long left."  
By November, both Ben and Lexi had been counting the days down until Callum would return and both had been actively planning how they'd pick him up at the end of January and never let him leave their clutches again.  
That was until the middle of December. On Skype, Lexi had been reading out to both Callum and Ben her Christmas list which included and not limited to a new big girls bike, a new barbie car and just for Callum to come hope safely so daddy wouldn't be upset anymore. Callum's face had fallen when Ben asked what was up and he had to admit was frustrated at the fact he would miss Christmas with them, seeing them both Christmas morning. Lexi had luckily left the chat as Ben had grown frustrated in the conversation and the overwhelming need to cry his heart out became too strong. Their chats were always too short.

Soon Christmas Eve had arrived and as a family they were doing the finishing touches before bed. Lola and Ben had gotten all of Santa's gifts out, Jay had gotten to work drinking the milk and making good on eating the mince pie whilst Stuart himself hung in the background, trying to help where possible.  
The four had called it a night early into the morning when Ben was rudely woken with a large weight onto his chest from Lexi exclaiming he needed to wake up that moment to get out of bed. Doing so, he met Stuart outside covering new wounds as he simply asked "Lexi" and with a shared nod they knew more likely than not the child had jumped on every adult to wake them up.  
Sighing it was a morning of wrapping presents and laughter with just a person missing from their lives. Lexi had tried to keep her dad happy but he still fell back onto thinking about Callum and hoping soon he'd get the Skype notification so they could speak to him again.  
Lunch time came and went and no call.  
An afternoon went by and no call and both Ben and Lexi were getting a little more disappointed as each hour ticked by.  
When Stuart offered to go to the Queen Vic, Ben had refused not wanting to risk missing the call but Stuart had twisted their arm into going.  
With Lexi in tow they made their way over but stopped close to the door. "It's okay to miss him daddy, I miss him too, I asked Santa to Bring him for you but guess he didn't have much room in his sleigh for him"  
Ben had left out a soft smile at the girls logic and nodded "Guess he didn't but hey always next time eh?"  
The group sat together in the pub in a booth, Lexi between him and Stuart with Jay and Lola at the other side having a quiet pint when Mick brought over a small parcel "for you chum"  
Ben has looked confused at the small box, giving it a small shake had revealed nothing rattling inside and the distraction had left Ben so out of it he didn't notice Lola recording him.  
Opening the box up revealed a short note "Will ya marry me?" He read out loud confused until he opened the box up to reveal a very delicate looking band inside. Lexi had stood up in her seat to see the ring in full glory only to ask confused about it "what is it?"  
"A ring. Think someone has gotten the wrong gift as clearly this ain't for me." Ben let out a slightly disappointing wet laugh as he closed the box in one hand, likely to throw it at the next happy couple he saw.  
"Or its for you and you can finally turn around, dummy"  
The new voice had Ben almost getting whiplash as he turned to see Callum stood there in his toned glory in camo gear just looking pretty proud of himself as Ben launched himself at him, wrapping his full body around him.  
"What the..." he stopped himself as he noticed Callum release him slightly as he lifted up Lexi into the mix who chirped happily about Santa actually brought her her Christmas wish. Letting the little girl go, he kept a weepy Ben into his neck whilst the man wiped all the tears away from his face. Once he was ready did Callum let him go and asked “So your answer is?”  
Ben with a scoff replied back “Nah, half the time I don’t like ya.”  
Both laughed softly as Callum went to take the box back with a shrug only to be stopped by Ben who reopened it so Callum could slip it on his hand. With a moment of glancing at the ring did Ben finally notice Lola recording him “Hey cut that out!”


End file.
